Sonny Parker (basketball) facts for kids
Sonny listens as his son Jabari announces his verbal commitment to Duke on December 20, 2012
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1955 Chicago, Illinois |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Farragut Career Academy (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1976 / Round: 1 / Pick: 17th overall |
| Selected by the Golden State Warriors | |
| Pro career | 1976–1982 |
| Career history | |
| 1976–1982 | Golden State Warriors |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,471 (9.9 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,841 (4.1 rpg) |
| Assists | 954 (2.1 apg) |
Robert S. "Sonny" Parker (born March 22, 1955) is a former American professional basketball player. He played as a small forward and shooting guard. Sonny Parker was a first-round pick in the NBA draft. He played for the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After his basketball career, he started the Sonny Parker Youth Foundation in Chicago. This foundation helps young people in the city.
Contents
Early Life and High School Success
Sonny Parker was born in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Farragut High School in Chicago. There, he was recognized for his amazing basketball skills. He earned All-City, All-State, and All-Public League honors. Because of his great efforts, he was inducted into several Halls of Fame. These include the Farragut Hall of Fame and the Illinois High School Hall of Fame.
After high school, Parker attended Mineral Area College for two years. He was named an All-American in both seasons. He also won Conference Player of the Year and Region Player of the Year awards. He is the leading scorer in Mineral Area College's history. He was also inducted into the National Junior College Hall of Fame. His team won the conference championship in 1973.
College Basketball Career
Many top college basketball teams wanted Sonny Parker. But he chose to go to Texas A&M University. He wanted to learn from the famous coach Shelby Metcalf. Parker was far from home, but Coach Metcalf and his family welcomed him. They often went fishing together.
Parker and Metcalf became very close friends. Once, Parker won a nice watch as MVP of a college tournament. He gave it to Coach Metcalf as a gift. Metcalf kept the watch for 25 years. He later gave it to Parker's son, Christian. This happened when Parker was inducted into the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame. Parker also spoke at Metcalf's funeral in 2007.
During his two years at Texas A&M, Parker led his team, the Aggies, to win two Southwest Conference titles in a row. He was named first-team All-Southwest Conference both years. The team even made it to the NCAA Tournament in 1974–1975. In his final year, Parker scored an average of 20.7 points per game. This was a rare achievement for an Aggie player.
College Achievements
Sonny Parker received many awards and honors during his college career. These include:
- Newcomer of the Year
- All Conference
- All Defensive Team
- Texas A&M MVP
- SWC All Decade Team
- All American
- Pizza Hut-Slam Dunk Award
- All Star Game
- Texas A&M Hall of Fame
Professional Basketball Career
In the 1976 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors picked Sonny Parker. He was the 17th player chosen overall. For 29 years, he held the record for the highest-drafted player from Texas A&M. This record was broken in 2005.
In his first season, Parker played in 65 games. He scored an average of 5.8 points per game. He also had 2.7 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. His team made it to the playoffs that year.
The next season, Parker played in all 82 games. He averaged 11.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. He was one of the best in the NBA for his field goal percentage. His best season was in 1978–1979. He averaged 15.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He also had many steals and blocks.
In November 1981, Parker helped the Warriors win a thrilling game against the Houston Rockets. The Warriors were behind by 10 points at the start of the last quarter. Parker and his teammate Joe Hassett scored many points to take the lead. The game was tied at 100 points. With only two seconds left, Parker grabbed a rebound. He then made a reverse layup to win the game for the Warriors.
After the 1981-82 NBA season, the Warriors decided to release Parker. This ended his NBA career in September 1982. Over his six years in professional basketball, Parker averaged 9.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.
Sonny Parker Youth Foundation
In 1990, Sonny Parker started a non-profit organization. It is called the Sonny Parker Youth Foundation (SPYF). It is located in his hometown of Chicago. The foundation helps children from kindergarten to 12th grade. It offers educational, recreational, and cultural programs all year.
The foundation provides after-school and weekend programs. These include tutoring, test preparation (for ACT/SAT), and workshops for parents. They also offer job training, mentoring, and career planning. Physical education is also part of their programs. The goal is to help students improve their reading and writing skills. It also prepares them to become successful adults. Sonny Parker is the president of the foundation. He is very involved in its daily activities.
Personal Life
Sonny Parker and his wife, Lola, have seven children. Many of his children have also played basketball. His son Christian played college basketball and hopes to become a coach. His oldest son, Darryl, played professional basketball overseas. He is now a police officer in Chicago.
Another of Parker's sons, Jabari, is also a well-known basketball player. Jabari played for Duke University. He was chosen as the 2nd pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Sonny Parker has faced some health challenges. This has made it difficult for him to attend all of Jabari's games.
See also
In Spanish: Sonny Parker para niños
